Tangled Up In You
by IchimayxD
Summary: Ichigo's thoughts as he lies beside Orihime, and finally realizes what he's been trying to say. Inspired by the song from Staind


Tangled Up In You

Disclaimer: May-May doesn't own Bleach, or Staind but if she did... well let's just leave it at that. ;)

He wonders how her skin could be so soft, like marshmallows, and smell like lavender and vanilla. He wonders how she can smile so bright and love so much. Mostly he wonders how she could love him.

He lies beside her in her bed, it's late and they both have school the next day but he can't stop staring at her. She breathes in slowly, shifting a bit and her covers fall around her small waist. He smiles, one of those rare smiles only she can bring out and traces the fingers of his right hand gingerly around her smooth flesh; so soft.

"You don't plan on sleeping do you?" she whispers, her voice low and soft like the cotton candy she eats at the fair. Her eyes are closed, her small hands tucked underneath her cheek. He continues to smile, his finger running up her waist and arm before descending once more.

"I'm not tired." he says and he wonders when his voice became so gentle, when he became this manwho could never be to far from her. She opens her big doe eyes, flashing him a smile before reaching out to caress his cheek and he pulls her closer, wrapping his left arm around her shoulders and his right one around her waist.

He burrows his face in the nape of her neck as her hand runs softly through his hair and he takes a deep breath, filling his lungs with her scent.

"Orihime," he breaths and he feels a strange warmth run through his body just like the first time he'd said her name. Her legs wrap loosely around his, her bare chest presses against his, and his mind simply can't process that she's given him everything she has and then some.

"What is it Ichigo?" she whispers and his heart squeezes almost painfully. She was so gentle with him, in everything she did she was careful, treating him with such care; healing his wounds and managing his anger. He takes her hand, the one running through his hair, the one she used to heal him time and time again, the one she's used to wipe away a million tears caused by him and others, the hand that holds up his entire world, in his and kisses it softly, like the kisses she gives him. She's dug her way into his heart and he would never want to dig her out, because she's done so in such a gentle way, with her love and devotion and her passion. He can't stop thinking, can't stop wondering if maybe this was the woman his mother might've liked, if maybe this was the woman she would've helped him pick out a wedding ring for.

There's thunder outside, and she snuggles closer to him as his mind takes him for a run, thinking and wondering and discovering the meaning of life; of his life. She presses a soft kiss to his neck, as if to remind him she's still there, still wondering what he's wondering about and he is suddenly filled with something he cannot explain. His heart feels so heavy in his chest, and with every beat it feels like it is seconds away from exploding. He knows what it is, but a large part of him is so afraid to say the words he's been aching to say for months. He takes a deep breath, and it's caught in his throat when she trails soft kisses up his neck and along his jaw until she reaches his mouth.

Then he feels it again, the same desire to know everything about her, the same curiosity at why she chose him out of every one else in the world, but so much happiness at the fact that she did. In a world filled with pain and suffering, she was his light at the end of the tunnel, and he fought to protect her, to protect that smile, those eyes and that smooth skin he could never seem to have enough of; the hickey on her left breast serving as proof.

She pulls away with a content sigh, her head resting once again on his shoulder, and his right hand snakes slowly up her back. He looks down at her and she's smiling, and he wonders if he even needs to say it. There they lie tangled up in each others' arms and sharing what no one would ever be able to take from them. Her big eyes look into his and he can feel every strand of emotion that runs between them, which makes him turn away, his heart pounding harder than a drum. He leans forward, kissing along her shoulder until he reaches her ear while she runs her fingers through his unruly hair.

"Can I tell you a secret?" he whispers in her ear, and he can already feel the lump that's begun to form in his throat.

"Of course." she whispers holding him close as he takes a shaky breath.

"I'm in love with you Orihime Inoue." he whispers into her ear, his voice breaking as he struggles to hold back the tears that threaten to escape. He can feel and hear her gasp, trying to pull away and look him in the eye, but he presses his chin into her shoulder, keeping her still. His eyes have become cloudy with tears, and he chastens himself for feeling so vulnerable, for showing such weakness, but it's only with her; only with her can he be this transparent and still feel safe.

"Ichigo," she whispers and he can tell she's already crying; like the first time she told him she loved him, and the first time he held her. She squeezes herself closer to him and he can feel his tears brim over and fall onto her skin as his heart begins to ache.

"I love you so much." she whispers to him and he looks at her, despite himself, though he knows she'd never judge him, though he knows she'd never care if he cried or not.

Her eyes are flooded in unshed tears and he can only capture her lips with his, still wondering why it took him so long to see, so long to realize that she was the best thing that ever happened to him.

"I love you Hime." he says when they pull away and she smiles, as bright as ever, while clearing away his tears.

"You're the only thing that I like about me," she whispers. "And I wouldn't want to be anywhere else then here, tangled up in you." she whispers and he smiles; because he finally stopped wondering why, and just appreciated it for all it was worth.

**_"In this world where nothing else is true_**

**_Here I am, still tangled up in you."—Staind_**

**A/N: OK so there is that, whatever that is. I found it on my computer, kinda liked it so had to upload it. Cute little one-shot, I'm hoping it helps me get my writing jag back I miss writing for these cuties. Any who drop me a review, and please go listen to this amazing band.**


End file.
